Harry blinked when he walked into the kitchen and found Jacob and Credence already there and amazing smells drifting through the air. He leant against the wall and watched the two who had clearly not heard him coming. Jacob was clearly teaching the younger man how to cook, and he was being exceedingly gentle and patient with Credence.

The young man was different when he was alone with one of his friends. He watched as shoulders that had remain hunched during their time together was set easy and relaxed, he watched as the young man smiled with Jacob and chatted easily. There was a relaxed quality around Jacob as well, they had been running for a long time, and even though they were in a place they did not know and likely could not trust, it was still a lot better than they had had for a long time.

But the majority of Harry's attention was on Credence. His suspicions were confirmed that the treatment he had received at the hands of the woman who had adopted him, it was not just her hatred of magic and his fear of occasional beatings that had caused the fear to form the obscurus. The treatment that he had received at the hands of that woman had been extreme.

"Would you mind if I helped?" He finally made his presence known softly. Though Credence still jumped, and Jacob startled slightly.

"I am sorry, I know you said that you normally do the cooking. But it has been a long time since I have had the chance to cook anything, and seeing the amount of provisions that you have here too, I could not help myself," Jacob stammered looking worried.

"It is fine," Harry held up his hand and allowed a small smile of reassurance to cross his features. "Honestly, getting help with feeding this bunch is greatly appreciated, they are like a pack of wolves sometimes,"

"Thank you, it really is amazing the amount of ingredients you have, though half the things I have not really heard of," Jacob admitted.

"I think we have some cookery books in the library as well, perhaps you would like to look through them and familiarise yourself with the changes to food stuffs?" Harry suggested as he rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands.

"That would be wonderful thank you,"

"How did you both sleep?"

"Very well thank you, the beds were amazingly comfortable," Jacob nodded enthusiastically.

"Credence?" Harry turned to the younger man knowing he was not going to answer without prompt. Except it came out more of a demand than he had intended it to. The young man hunched in and jerked back, his head dropping and grimacing as he rushed to answer Harry.

"It was lovely thank you!"

Jacob stepped towards the teen obviously to comfort him but paused when Harry held up his hand to still him. His eyes still on Credence.

"Jacob could you please go into the pantry and fetch some more eggs, flour and butter for me please, also milk and coffee," Harry said it with enough order and yet reassurance in his voice that Jacob nodded and with a touch to Credence's shoulder left the room.

Harry moved to start the preparations of their breakfast, giving it a few beats before he spoke. He did not look at the scared man knowing it would not help the situation at all. Knowing that it would only serve to scare him more.

"It has been a long time that I have been involved in this war, I have been fighting for a long time, and have not had much time for gentleness in my life. I have been leading this side of the war for quite a few years. I...do not know how to be a gentle man anymore. I did not mean to scare you,"

There was silence for just a little while during which Harry carried on moving around the kitchen, making sure not to make any sudden moves, making sure to keep everything in him relaxed and as nonthreatening as he could - which he realised with some sadness was not very much anymore.

"I...I startle easily...a...and I am very nervous around p...p...people I do not really know," Credence finally spoke. Harry turned a little and found the other dark haired man looking at him cautiously, but a little more open.

"Please do not take my tone to heart, I am afraid that I have become overly used to barking at people, I have had to be strong and sure for them for a long time now," Harry smiled sadly and turned back to cooking.

"That must be difficult for you," Credence said softly before startling and looking panicked when Harry's head turned quickly to look at him again. "I am sorry I did not mean to I did not want to I was not..."

"Credence its ok, I am not offended," Harry held his hand up and kept his tone mild. "No one has really looked at it that way to be honest,"

"Looked at it how?" Credence frowned slightly. Harry went back into the rhythm of cooking as it seemed to sooth the other.

"No one but Hermione and Ron and those closest to me have ever really said that, or seen it that way. In this world I am just expected to do things, to lead and take over. I am not really seen as a person," Harry admitted.

"That...must be tough," Credence reached out and took some of the fruit that Harry was chopping and started helping him.

"It is. As I said I don't really know how to be a gentle man anymore," Harry sighed.

"You...you are doing fine with me," Credence smiled shyly when Harry looked at him again. He found himself smiling a little back.

Jacob walked cautiously back in at that moment with Queenie, their eyes flicking to Credence concerned before relaxing when they saw him looking mostly relaxed and helping Harry.

"Good morning Credence, Mr Potter," Queenie said brightly as she bounced over and started helping straight away.

"Oh, you can call me Harry, that's fine," Harry blinked at the bright and bubbly woman.

"Then you should call us all by our first names," Queenie nodded.

"Can you speak for Mr Scamander and your sister?" Harry asked feeling a spark of amusement.

"Of course, they all do as I say anyway," Queenie shrugged.

"Not denying that," Jacob muttered as Credence chuckled.

"You and Hermione will get on well together," Harry hummed.

"What was that Harry Potter?" Hermione asked as she breezed into the room.

"Nothing sweetie," Harry teased.

"I thought so," She nodded before taking a seat at the table. She quickly poured a few cups of coffee and tea before sitting back. "You all cook?"

"Oh yes, we enjoy it, we haven't had time to cook properly for a long time. We have been trying to teach Credence too," Queenie said as she quickly put together some porridge and had it simmering after checking what Harry and Jacob were making.

"That's good, Harry enjoys cooking which is good because none of us can without risking poisoning the whole house, but it is a lot for him to do,"

"Hermione stop trying to adopt them, they are free to stay or go as THEY chose," Harry shot her a look.

"I was just saying," Hermione huffed crossing her arms.

"Hermione!" Harry barked before closing his eyes when Credence jerked away from him. He yelped slightly as the knife he had been using sliced his finger. Harry gripped his hand before he could jerk away and turned it palm up to look at the damage. Queenie and Jacob both stepped forwards worry on their faces at the action, knowing it would remind Credence of Grindelwald.

Before they could do anything though Harry nodded and held Credence's palm up.

"You need to clean it out first before you heal it, especially with a knife, the spell for that is emundabit, you perform this motion to cast the spell," Harry instructed making the wand motion 3 times to make sure Credence could learn it before he performed the spell.

Hermione, Queenie and Jacob all watched curiously as Credence relaxed a little, instead focused intently upon what Harry was teaching him.

"Then you heal, episkey is the spell, this is good for small broken bones or small cuts or wounds like this, anything bigger and you need a more powerful spell. The wand motion for it is this," Harry repeated the motion three times again before he cast the spell.

"Thank you," Credence said hesitantly when Harry released his hand, reaching down to touch the unblemished skin.

"No problem," Harry nodded gruffly before waving the plates over to the table Hermione was sitting at.

"Do I smell food and coffee?" Ron hummed walking into the kitchen with Remus.

"It smells really good," Remus added. The two of them sat at the table and made themselves comfy.

Both of them ignored Queenie and Jacob who were blinking at each other after the interaction they had seen. The last time Credence had cut his hand Tina had grabbed it automatically to heal it. Credence had had a flashback to Mary Lou's punishments and to all the times Grindelwald had faked support and friendship for him healing his hands, they had had to wait patiently for nearly 2 hours for him to calm down from the panic attack before they were able to touch him again.

"Sorry?" Queenie blinked looking to to Remus who had spoken to her.

"I was just asking how your night was, it must be quite a shock finding yourself here," Remus smiled. Queenie smiled back warmly as she floated the remaining plates of food over to the table.

"It is a little, we had a quick look through one of the books Hermione gave us on history, it was a little shock the things that we have missed. The world looks very different," Queenie mused.

"If you want to know anything Remus, Hermione or Draco are the ones to ask, they will either know the answer or research it for you in a few seconds," Harry said as he floated some juices to the table and then settled down himself.

"You are free to ask anytime, I would be more than happy to help," Remus smiled and Hermione nodded her agreement.

"What are your plans for today?" A tall blonde man asked as he walked into the room. His ice blue eyes scanned sharply over Queenie, Credence and Jacob before they settled on Harry. He was immaculately dressed, with not a hair out of place.

"This is Lucius," Hermione said dryly waving her hand to the man who just rolled his eyes and then looked back to Harry pointedly.

"We need to pop out for a few hours but we will be back before 1500,"

"And you are not going to tell us where you are going?" Lucius sniffed clearly annoyed.

"Answer is still no after three years Luc," Harry smirked.

"Do not call me Luc!"

"Or what?"

"Or I will hex you to within an inch of your life!"

"I would like to see you try,"

"Brat,"

"Prick,"

"Imbecile,"

"Snob,"

"Don't worry, this is how they express their love for each other," Someone who was clearly Lucius' son sat down beside Credence as he spoke, the worry on the dark haired teen's face clear as he watched the interaction.

"I don't like him," Harry and Lucius said at the exact same time.

"Ah ha, you two are arguing again, really?" A dark haired man, with black eyes strolled into the room. Newt and Tina were right behind him looking a little uncertain making Harry roll his eyes.

"And you couldn't be polite to our guests for one day, really?" He imitated.

"They needed warning not to take advantage of your blind belief in the goodness of people," Severus drawled taking a seat at the table.

"I apologise for whatever he said," Harry said to Newt and Tina as they also sat at the table.

"It is ok, it was merely expressing that he hoped we were not going to betray the trust you have placed in us," Newt said quickly waving his hands frantically in the air.

Severus smirked at Harry when the dark haired man glared at him, resulting in an eye roll while Newt looked between them concerned.

"The amount of snark at this table is ridiculous for this time in the morning," Tonks complained making grabby hands for the coffee, which Remus gave her with an indulgent smile.

"That's what you get when you have Slytherins living with you," Ron snorted, and though Draco, Lucius and Severus glared at him, there was no real fire in either interaction.

"Ok, we are going to have to shake a leg. Remus could you give our new guests a tour of the manor and show them where everything is. You are more than welcome to explore, please just respect the privacy of everyone's private rooms and Severus' potions lab," Harry said standing up and wiping his mouth.

"Ah Mr Potter?" Newt asked quickly, flushing when green eyes turned sharply onto him.

"Yes?"

"Would...would it be ok if Credence and I released a few of my creatures into your garden? They have been cooped up for quite a while in my suitcase and it is not really good for them and seeing how much space you have outside I thought that it may..."

"Its fine," Harry interrupted the fast paced ramble. Newt blinked a few times before smiling.

"Thank you, thank you, that is very kind of you, my creatures will be very happy too," Newt beamed making his friends look at him fondly.

"Its no problem, we have plenty of space. Tonks could you show him to the stables and the area around there for him to use please," Harry instructed. "Lucius I also want you to work on tracking down ore of the Death Eaters amongst the Ministry, make sure you are not caught,"

"Of course My Lord," Lucius bowed. "Ow!" He griped when the stinging hex hit him.

"Call me that again and see what I will do," Harry raised an eyebrow. Lucius swept into an elegant bow but turned and left the room.

"Severus I need you to meet up with Kingsley and sort through the information that he has," Harry ordered.

"Of course," Severus stood and glided out of the room.

"We shall see the rest of you later," Harry nodded his head to the rest of the table before turning and leaving.

"Enjoy your day," Hermione waved as she followed him.

"We are likely to be back late," Ron nodded also following.

"Would you like your tour now?" Remus asked once they were gone.

"Yes please, and then perhaps this afternoon we could finish catching up on...well catching up," Tina grimaced thinking on the few decades that they needed to be caught up on to understand where they were right now.